


But First, Coffee (or that time Aubrey Posen fell off the face of the earth)

by totalbellatrash



Series: PP Rare Pair Week 2020 [1]
Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F, PP Rare Pair Week 2020, diner au, loosely based off of Ginny in PH, southern Aubrey? Yes please
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:22:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23626846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/totalbellatrash/pseuds/totalbellatrash
Summary: “Hello?” She called out again.A series of small clatters rang out, followed by a frazzled blonde woman jogging out of the kitchen and pulling her hair back into a loose ponytail as she went.“I’m so sorry to keep you waiting, darlin’! I was just washin’ up some dishes.” She grabbed a menu off the counter, leading the other woman to a table. “I’m Aubrey and I’ll be your… Chloe?”
Relationships: Aubrey Posen/Chloe Beale
Series: PP Rare Pair Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1700728
Comments: 7
Kudos: 33





	But First, Coffee (or that time Aubrey Posen fell off the face of the earth)

**Author's Note:**

> Holy fuck, it took co-hosting a writing week to bring me back from the fandom graveyard. Ugh, I still love pitch perfect and Aubrey Posen just as much as I did 3 years ago. A lot has changed with 3 kiddos, though, and I hope I’m back to writing for good! 
> 
> Anywho, this work is dedicated to Beale (birbmom), because I know how much you love southern Aubrey. Also we’ve been friends a long ass time and I love doing rare pair week with you. 
> 
> Anyways I hope y’all like it!

This is very heavily inspired by Ginny in Perfect Harmony - a bit of southern Aubrey and a bit of canon too. Chloe is a music professor at a university/college. Barden? Maybe? 

—

It was deserted, almost like a ghost town. The road stretched for miles and every building was either run down or dark. There wasn’t an open gas station in miles, and her car had signaled empty quite some time ago. 

In the distance, she saw a flickering neon sign and sighed in relief. It looked like something out of a Hallmark movie, old but not run down. It gave her a sense of nostalgia, reminded her of a song her mother used to play on the radio when she was a child. 

It was well lit, just a few gas pumps off of a small diner barely big enough to fit her enormous family. She idly wondered just how many people came through here, and how many visited this place. 

Despite the dated look, the diner and gas station were kept up well - as though they wanted to preserve a vintage look. 

Chloe shoved her hands in her jacket pockets as she walked up to the door, shouldering it open and stepping into the empty room. There was no one behind the counter at the grill, no one at the cash register in the small convenience store either. 

“Hello? Is anyone here?” 

She tapped the bell on the counter, sliding onto a barstool easily and fidgeting with the peeling paint. Her eyes landed on a jukebox in the corner, music thrumming from it quietly. There was a metallic crash that had Chloe jumping up, eyes darting around to look for the source. 

“Hello?” She called out again. 

A series of small clatters rang out, followed by a frazzled blonde woman jogging out of the kitchen and pulling her hair back into a loose ponytail as she went. 

“I’m so sorry to keep you waiting, darlin’! I was just washin’ up some dishes.” She grabbed a menu off the counter, leading the other woman to a table. “I’m Aubrey and I’ll be your… Chloe?” 

“Aubrey?” Chloe looked up at the blonde woman in confusion, eyes narrowing. 

Surely this wasn’t Aubrey from the Bellas, she looked too carefree and relaxed - but as Chloe looked up into shining blue eyes, she realized it was her. She looked better than ever - hair long and wavy, pulled back into a loose ponytail, and despite the very dated waitress outfit she was wearing, she looked good. 

“Chloe, oh my gosh, this is embarrassing. Sit.” She ushered Chloe into the seat, handing her a menu and leaning against another table. 

“What are you doing here?” Chloe didn’t bother opening the menu, just sat flabbergasted staring at Aubrey. 

It was unreal, seeing her in person again - seeing her here of all places. None of the Bellas had heard from her after graduation, and she all but abandoned her social media. Chloe caught herself missing Aubrey more than she cared to admit, leading to the ultimate demise of her and Beca’s relationship. 

“I wanted to get away.” Aubrey’s voice was small, eyes trained on the floor awkwardly. 

“From who? Me?” 

Chloe was growing agitated. After Aubrey dropped off the face of the earth so many years ago without so much as a text, she was acting like it was nothing. Wanting to get away, Chloe understood, but leaving her best friend behind and never even checking in? 

Aubrey pretended to busy herself with wiping down a table, but her eyes were trained on the jukebox in the corner. She knew, in the part of her brain that was still rational, that Chloe wouldn’t be mad - couldn’t be mad - but she still hesitated. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before finally offering a lame shrug and lopsided half smile. 

“Not you.” She sighed, opening Chloe’s menu and pointing to the all day breakfast portion of the page. “I think, if you want to know, I need to get you something to eat and drink. What can I get for ya?” 

There was a beat of silence, Chloe’s face changing from contorted anger to a soft smile. She shook her head fondly, watching Aubrey retreat behind the counter to set out a pair of mismatched mugs. 

“Creamer with a splash of coffee, and whatever your special is.” 

Chloe watched Aubrey intently as she fixed the two mugs, humming to herself the entire time. She moved about the small cooking area with grace, back turned to Chloe as she worked at the griddle. 

While Aubrey was busy, Chloe took the time to truly take in her surroundings. The paint on the wall beside her was peeling, the tables scuffed and scratched. There was no doubt that this place was the home of lively conversations, karaoke nights, and late night travel stops. She jumped when a plate and mug was set in front of her, broken from thought. 

“Sorry.” Aubrey ducked her head, sliding into the seat across from Chloe. “Pancakes and sausage. Would’ve done bacon but I’m waiting on a shipment. We’re not usually busy this time of day.” 

“Aubrey, it’s fine. Really. You didn’t even have to cook something specially for me.” Chloe busied herself with cutting up her pancakes, smiling shyly at Aubrey from across the table. 

She shook her head, blonde locks framing her face. “I don’t mind. I mean, it is my job.” Aubrey blew on her tea gently before taking a sip, raising her eyebrows at Chloe from behind the mug. 

“Okay, shoot. Why did you come all the way out here in nowhere land without telling anyone why you left?” 

“You really want to know?” 

“Of course I want to know! You were more than just my roommate or friend, and you just...left. I thought about you every damned day, Aubrey.” Chloe was getting agitated, and she had to force herself to calm down. There was no use in bringing back past issues, and her frustration would only make Aubrey shy away from her. 

“It’s a long story.” 

Aubrey was trying to stall and Chloe knew it. Her eyes were trained on the window behind Chloe, eyes looking past her. She sighed, running a hand over her messy bun before folding her hands on the table. 

“So, I have time.” 

“Okay, fine.” She uncrossed her hands, wiping them on her apron. “I was pregnant. I was...trying to get over some feelings I had for someone, and I hooked up with some guys. My parents went ballistic when they found out I didn’t exactly know who the father was, told me I was a disgrace. I ah, I inevitably lost the baby, probably from the stress of moving. But that’s why I’m here.” 

The room fell silent, the only sound was the ticking of the hand on the clock that seemed amplified in that moment. 

“Aubrey, I’m so sorry you went through that - alone, no less. Did you think we would hate you?” Chloe bit her lip, shaking her head. “No, rhetorical question, I know that’s what you thought. But I can assure you we wouldn’t have been upset. We would have helped.” 

Aubrey shook her head, flashing Chloe a watery smile. It wasn’t the fact that she was pregnant, or even the fact that her parents disowned her, that made her leave - it was the fact that Chloe chose Beca. She didn’t think she could live every day seeing someone else with the woman she loved so dearly. 

It wasn’t that she didn’t like Beca, or that she thought she was bad for Chloe. She just loved her too much to want to see her with someone else, and she knew she would unintentionally sabotage their relationship if she stayed. If she truly loved Chloe - and she did, more than anything - she would let her be happy, and she knew that at the time. 

“Anyways.” Aubrey cleared her throat, taking a long sip of her drink before looking pointedly at Chloe. “Did you and Beca get married?” 

“No. We… aren’t together anymore.” 

“What happened?” 

“Oh, we just drifted apart. I had a bit of a wandering eye, but I never acted on it. I think she’s truly happy now, she’s with Emily. They’re doing well… they have a cat. His name is Mittens, and he’s the cutest thing alive.” 

“I think… do I recall Emily from your Facebook messages?” 

“You really read those?” Chloe looked at Aubrey in shock, blue eyes wide. She never expected Aubrey would read them after the first few unanswered messages, but she still messaged her - just in case. She rationalized it as filling her in on things if she ever came back, but as the years went on, the messages were fewer and further between. 

“Every single one. I missed you, you know? More than I’ve ever missed anyone before.” 

Chloe put her hand palm up in the middle of the table, wiggling her fingers. She smiled brightly when Aubrey took her hand, squeezing gently. 

They were silent for a moment, Chloe studying Aubrey’s face. The years had been good to her, clearly, and she looked happy. There were some wrinkles around her eyes, but she still held that gentle gaze as always. 

“So...who was the mystery lover you tried to get over?” 

“Someone…” 

“Who was he?” 

“It wasn’t a he, but why don’t I tell you over dinner tonight, after my shift?”


End file.
